Design For Planet: Andy Burnham reveals his ambitions for a greener Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham opened this year’s Design For Planet Festival earlier today alongside Design Council CEO Minnie Moll and Manchester School of Art director Martyn Evans. From the beginning of his address, he made clear that “digitisation and decarbonisation will shape the 21st century” but admitted that, while Manchester is the fastest growing digital and tech hub in Europe, it’s not yet the not the greenest.

Despite the turbulent public and political debate around net zero agenda, Burnham confirmed that Greater Manchester is “still firmly committed to being a net zero city region by 2038” and explained some of the key initiatives and infrastructure changes that are underway.  

To design for the planet, “you’ve got to start building for public transport rather than building for the car,” said Burnham. This vision is being realised through Stockport Interchange under the railway viaduct, which is a key part of the Bee Network (Greater Manchester’s vision for an integrated transport system launched in 2023).

The award-winning network has a beautiful green space at the heart of it – which is much needed in Stockport where air pollution is high due to its geography – and thousands of new low carbon homes being built around it. Burnham said: “When you build something with real quality at the heart of a place that lifts the standard, you raise the value of it.”

Currently, the interchange has 18 bus stands that can accommodate 164 departures per hour, walking and cycling links to the town centre and railway station, and is designed for future integration with Metrolink. By 2028, Burnham plans to add eight local commuter train services into the Bee Network, complete with a tap-in-tap-out low fare system similar to what exists already across London’s transport network. 

Buses are also back under public control and will have been completely re-regulated across Greater Manchester by January 2025. Burnham is the first mayor to do this outside of London and is keen on keeping public transport as cheap as possible as advancements are made. 

“You’ve got to make public transport a compelling offer and, if Uber is competitive with public transport, you’ve got a problem,” he said. 

Other green initiatives that are front of mind for Burnham are the production of a green hydrogen plant and the retrofitting of homes in the region. 

Kraft Heinz and Carlton Power are working to obtain planning permission and financial support for a green hydrogen plant in Wigan, Greater Manchester over the next 12–18 months, with production expected to begin in 2026. 

In July 2021, The Greater Manchester Retrofit Task Force was established, aligning with the council’s goal of retrofitting at least a third of the city’s social rented properties by 2032. They’re largely focussing on energy efficiency improvements in council properties, including installing heat pumps, solar photovoltaic systems, and external and cavity wall insulation, which will ultimately make energy bills cheaper for residents.

Burnham explained how innovation is “in the DNA of Manchester” and described how it has been a city of social and industrial disruption throughout its history. He believes that Greater Manchester will have a truly “modern economy” by 2038 with good homes, good jobs, good transport and better communities for its residents. 

But, Burnham said: “It’s not a given that net zero will drive a more equal society, it has to be done right. 

“The key for me is always taking the public with us on this journey with us.”